Eye protecting film providing mask structure

ABSTRACT

A mask structure having a mask body and a pair of ear hanging straps provided on two opposite sides of the mask body, comprises an eye protection film provided on a mask body upper periphery of the mask body and an adhesive area located on a film periphery of the eye protection film. The mask structure provides excellent protection against foreign objects or viruses and bacteria for users with any facial contours. It also will not cause discomfort to users even after prolonged period of wearing.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a mask structure, and more particularlyto a mask structure which comprises an eye protecting film, so as toprovide a user with good eye protection.

2. Description of Related Arts

The job of healthcare professionals is to look after patients. However,they must also look after themselves by taking good protectiveprecautions. Protective precautions are for preventing medicalprofessionals from the harm of viruses or bacteria present duringoperations and taking care of patients. Among all protectiveprecautions, face mask is most convenient and widely used.

Viruses and bacteria are usually contacted through the followingmethods: direct contact, inhalation and droplet contact. The best recentillustration is “SARS” (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). Ifhealthcare professionals do not have good protection equipment whilethey take care of the patients, their life would be put at risk too.

The use of face masks brings enormous benefits to healthcareprofessionals. The different varieties of face masks and technologiesthereof are publicly known and accepted, such as that disclosed inTaiwan Patent 192716. It provided a “protection lens structure of amedical face mask”, which comprises a mask, an aluminum strip, anelastic clipping device, an adjustable hanging string and a protectionlens, wherein the protection lens is fixed by the clipping device on thealuminum strip located on an upper periphery of the mask. The protectionlens is detachable and can be applied to another mask, allowing theprotection lens to be reusable.

Although the technology as disclosed in the 716′ patent can be enabledand can achieve a certain degree of effectiveness, it can easily bediscovered that despite the fact that the protective lens can preventsome entering the eyes, it cannot, however, prevent viruses or bacteriafrom entering the eyes. The reason is that the protective lens does notcompletely match the contour of the user's face. Environmentalsubstances, especially microscopic substances such as viruses andbacteria can easily pass through the gaps between the user's face andthe protecting lens. The mask therefore cannot achieve the objective ofprotecting the user.

Furthermore, the material of the protective lens is hard and thereforecannot be suitable for users with any facial contours. Users will alsofeel discomfort when using the mask as the protective lens cannot beadjusted due to the hardness of the material.

Such problems and flaws of existing face mask products should beeliminated. As a result, a better face mask should be provided.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

A main object of the present invention is to provide a mask structure,which comprises a mask body, a pair of ear hanging straps and an eyeprotecting film. The pair of ear hanging straps is provided on twoopposite sides of the mask body respectively such that the user can hangthe mask structure on his ears and as a result, the mask body covers theuser's mouth and nose area.

The eye protecting film comprises polypropylene, which has the propertyof being flexible and twistable. The eye protecting film further has anadhesive portion on its periphery, such that when in use, the eyeprotecting film can produce a close adhesion effect to the user's faceaccording to the contours of the user. As a result, the eye protectingfilm of the mask structure is suitable for any user's facial contour.

Users will find it more comfortable as the eye protecting film is madeof a soft material with elasticity. The mask structure will not causeirritation to users even when it has been worn for a long period oftime.

Furthermore, existing technology of eye protection in face masks doesnot have effective preventive means for foreign objects such as virusesand bacteria. In the present invention, however, the eye protecting filmof the mask structure makes use of the sealing effect of the adhesiveportion, to form a close adhesion effect with the contour of the user'sface. The present invention can therefore effectively prevent foreignobjects or viruses or bacteria from entering the eyes of the user.

Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the presentinvention provides an eye protection film providing mask structurehaving a mask body and a stabling strap securing the mask body on a userin a secured position, wherein the mask structure comprises:

an eye protection film provided on a mask body upper periphery of themask body; and

an adhesive band having a user adhesion side provided on a filmperiphery of the eye protection film, wherein when the mask structure isin the secured position, the mask body covers a mouth and nose area ofthe user and the adhesive band adheres the eye protection film closelyto an upper facial area of the user, so as to seal foreign objects,viruses or bacteria from the user.

These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following detailed description,the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the mask structure and accessoriesaccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the mask structure and accessoriesaccording to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the mask structure and accessories whenin use according to the above preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

According to the disclosure of the present invention, referring to FIG.1 and FIG. 2, the main objective of the present invention is to providea user with a mask structure with a more comfortable manner of wearing,as well as providing a better eye protection means.

The mask structure comprises an eye protection film 10, a mask body 20and a pair of ear hanging straps 30. The pair of ear hanging straps 30is provided on two opposite sides of the mask body respectively suchthat the user can hang the mask structure on his ears and as a result,the mask body covers the user's mouth and nose area.

There are many embodiments of the mask body 20 and the ear hangingstraps 30, such as making the mask body 20 three-dimensional, andincorporate it with a nose adjusting piece 21 for clipping on the noseof a user to prevent the slipping of the mask body 20, the ear hangingstraps 30 are usually made of an elastic tighten-loosen type stringbody. The ear hanging straps can also be the tying-up type, as thosefound in masks used by surgeons. Please note that the drawings have onlyshown the conventional tighten-loosen type string body 30.

There are many combinations between the mask body 20 and the ear hangingstraps 30 available in the market. The main technological feature of thepresent invention is that there is an eye protecting film 10 on an upperperiphery of the mask body 20.

The eye protecting film 10 comprises of polypropylene, which is atransparent, plastic and twistable material, wherein on an eyeprotecting film periphery, a predetermined thickness of adhesive area 11is provided. The adhesive area 11 has a plurality of bending lines 12,as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 illustrates a user wearing the mask structure. The pair of earhanging straps 30 hangs on the ears of the user, causing the mask body20 to cover the user's mouth and nose area. The adhesive area 11 of theeye protecting film 10 then closely attach to an upper portion of theface of the user, according to the contour of the user. As the adhesivearea 11 has the plurality of bending lines 12, the user can freelychoose specific areas of the adhesive area 11. And it is thereforeapplicable to users with any face contours. Also, as shown in thefigure, the adhesive area 11 has a predetermined thickness, such thatthe eye protecting film 11 will maintain a certain distance away fromthe user's face, preventing direct contact with the user's eye brows oreye lashes and providing more comfort to the user.

Through the above description, the basic making and using of the maskstructure having an eye protection film according to present inventionshould be clearly understood. It has at least the following advantages:

1. It provides a better wearing method: with reference to the existingtechnology of using hard protection eye piece, which causes discomfortto users after prolonged usage, the present invention comprises an eyeprotection film structure, wherein the eye protection film and the faceis attached together through an adhesive means, wherein the adhesivearea has a predetermined thickness, causing the eye protection film tomaintain a certain distance away from the user's face, so as to providea more comfortable wearing method.

2. It is suitable for users with any facial contours: eye protectingpieces with existing technology are usually fixed in sizes. If theuser's face is wider, or smaller, the eye protecting pieces cannotprovide satisfying protection and wearing results. The eye protectingfilm of the present invention is of a soft and slightly elasticmaterial. Through providing an adhesive area, the eye protecting filmcan form an adhesive attachment relationship, according to the facialcontour of the user, and can therefore be suitable for users with anyfacial contour. Also, the adhesive area has bending lines, whichprovides even greater wearing flexibility.

3. It provides excellent protection: even though existing technology canprovide a certain degree of protection, especially against directattacks by foreign objects such as viruses and bacteria. However, theycannot prevent such objects from invading through the gaps between theeye protecting piece and face. The eye protecting film of the presentinvention utilizes adhesion to attach to the user's face, so as toeffectively prevent foreign objects, viruses or bacteria from invadingthe eyes, providing excellent protection results.

One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of thepresent invention as shown in the drawings and described above isexemplary only and is not intended to be limiting.

It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have beenfully and effectively accomplished. It embodiments have been shown anddescribed for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structuralprinciples of the present invention and is subject to change withoutdeparture from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes allmodifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the followingclaims.

1. An eye protection film providing mask structure having a mask bodyand a stabling strap securing said mask body on a user in a securedposition, wherein said mask structure comprises: an eye protection filmprovided on a mask body upper periphery of said mask body; and anadhesive band having a user adhesion side provided on a film peripheryof said eye protection film, wherein when said mask structure is in saidsecured position, said mask body covers a mouth and nose area of saiduser and said adhesive band adheres said eye protection film closely toan upper facial area of said user, so as to seal foreign objects,viruses or bacteria from said user.
 2. The eye protection film providingmask structure, as recited in claim 1, wherein said adhesive band has apredetermined thickness, such that said eye protecting film maintains apredetermined distance away from said user.
 3. The eye protection filmproviding mask structure, as recited in claim 1, wherein said adhesiveband further comprises a parting covering said user adhesion side whensaid adhesive band is not in use, wherein said parting is removed whensaid mask structure is in use.
 4. The eye protection film providing maskstructure, as recited in claim 2, wherein said adhesive band furthercomprises a parting covering said user adhesion side when said adhesiveband is not in use, wherein said parting is removed when said maskstructure is in use.
 5. The eye protection film providing maskstructure, as recited in claim 4, wherein said parting has a pluralityof tear off lines, allowing said partings to be selectively torn off soas to comfortably fit a user's facial contour.
 6. The eye protectionfilm providing mask structure, as recited in claim 1, further comprisesa nose adjustment provided on said upper periphery of said mask body,allowing said user to wear said mask comfortably according to a nosecontour of said user.
 7. The eye protection film providing maskstructure, as recited in claim 4, further comprises a nose adjustmentprovided on said upper periphery of said mask body, allowing said userto wear said mask comfortably according to a nose contour of said user.8. The eye protection film providing mask structure, as recited in claim6, wherein said nose area adjusting piece comprises of aluminum.
 9. Theeye protection film providing mask structure, as recited in claim 7,wherein said nose area adjusting piece comprises of aluminum.
 10. Theeye protection film providing mask structure, as recited in claim 4,wherein said eye protecting film comprises of a plastic material,wherein said plastic material remains comfortable to wear even for aprolonged period of time.
 11. The eye protection film providing maskstructure, as recited in claim 10, wherein said plastic material ispolypropylene.